American Rescue Plan
Guidance, policy updates and actionable resources for schools & districts receiving American Rescue Plan funds.
Background
In 2021, as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress directed $122 billion to state and local education agencies (LEAs) via the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to help reopen schools and aid school districts in addressing the impact the pandemic had on students through improvements to their academic, social-emotional, and mental and physical health needs, and updates to school facilities to ensure healthy learning environments.
AASA has conducted 3 surveys to understand:
- District leaders' priorities in expending ARP funds
- Challenges districts are experiencing in spending ARP funds
- Programmatic areas districts anticipate cutting as ARP funds run out
One bill, heralded as one of the most progressive pieces of legislation in a generation and cited for its work to reduce childhood poverty by up to half, the ARP is critical funding to support our nation’s public schools in their ongoing work to provide students with safe, in-person learning while also working with students to provide learning recovery and other non-academic supports and services.
Dan Domenech, AASA Executive Director
AASA's Position & Priorities
AASA believes this infusion of federal funding will have a lasting impact in enabling students to not only recover from lost in-person instruction, but also in assisting district leaders in thoughtfully investing federal funds to address longstanding disparities in access to educational opportunities for students that were only exacerbated as a result of the COVID19 pandemic.
While every state was required to distribute the funding to districts by March 2022, it was only in February 2022 that school districts in all 50 states had access to their ARP funds.
LEAs are required to obligate their ARP funding by September 2024 although they may have more time to liquidate funding beyond the original December 2024 deadline.
AASA's priorities are to:
- Provide timely resources and updates to school district leaders around policy changes related to ARP funding
- Advocate for a later liquidation of these funds beyond the September 2024 spending deadline
- Ensure equitable access to funds in a timely manner
Issue Updates
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March 15, 2023
Highlighting ESSER SuccessThe Coalition to Advance Future Student Success (AASA is a member) is eager to elevate the stories of how COVID-19 relief funds are making an impact across the country.
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December 08, 2022
ED Releases New ESSER FAQ DocumentOn December 7, ED released non-binding guidance that answers long-awaited questions from the field about how ESSER funding can be spent.
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December 01, 2022
Webinar Recap: Making the Most of Your ESSER Funds: Halftime Reflections & RevisionsThis week, we were thrilled to partner with EducationCounsel and Education Resource Strategies for our webinar presentation: "Making the Most of Your ESSER Funds: Halftime Reflections & Revisions"
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November 30, 2022
The Advocate December 2022: Looking Ahead Post-MidtermsThe 118th Congress will be another divided governing body with Democrats controlling the Senate and Republicans re-taking the House.
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November 16, 2022
Congress Asks Cardona for Late Liquidation GuidanceThis week, members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary Cardona urging the Department to issue guidance on how school districts can utilize late liquidation flexibility under the American Rescue Plan.
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November 14, 2022
Cardona Issues New Guidance on Prioritizing Dual Enrollment, Apprenticeships, with ARP FundsThe U.S. Department of Education released new guidance that encourages schools to use unspent COVID relief money to expand various career options for students.
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September 01, 2022
The Advocate September 2022Your AASA lobbyists live and breathe Washington headlines all day and night.
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August 25, 2022
Hundreds of District Leaders Sign Letter to Cardona Urging Late Liquidation FlexibilityOn Monday, almost 700 district leaders from 47 states sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urging the Department to immediately issue guidance that will clarify how much additional time districts can have to spend ARP funding
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July 18, 2022
AASA Advocacy Conference ResourcesFor those of you here in DC in person (and those of you following along at home!) here are the resources for this week’s conference. We will be posting presentation slide decks as we get them.
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June 09, 2022
USED Releases Final Maintenance of Equity RuleEarlier this week, USED released its final rule for the American Rescue Plan’s (ARP) K12 maintenance of equity provision, part of the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund.
AASA Resources
Learning recovery and redesign guidance and other tools to help you plan for the short- and long-term.
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December 20, 2022
AASA Quarterly Federal Policy Update - WinterType:Webinar Recording Topics: Advocacy & PolicyAASA members will be walked through the latest federal funding and policy changes, including the upcoming SCOTUS case Perez v. Sturgis; December USDOE ESSER FAQ; and leadership changes in Congress. -
November 29, 2022
Making the Most of Your ESSER Funds: Halftime Reflections & RevisionsType:Webinar Recording Topics: District & School Operations Finance & BudgetsHear from two district leaders about how they (and other systems around the country) are engaging in halftime reviews with an immediate focus on identifying key moves to make through the SY23-24 budget cycle to optimize the ESSER opportunity. -
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October 11, 2022
AASA Quarterly Federal Policy Update - FallType:Webinar Recording Topics: Advocacy & PolicyAASA’s Director of Advocacy, Sasha Pudelski, will walk AASA members through the latest federal funding and policy changes -
July 01, 2022
School District Spending of American Rescue Plan FundingType:Report Topics: Advocacy & Policy Finance & BudgetsAASA surveyed district leaders about how they're using American Rescue Plan (ARP) and other federal COVID-19 relief funding to address pandemic-related student learning recovery. -
June 01, 2022
Using ESSER Funding To Re-Engage StudentsType:Article Topics: Advocacy & Policy District & School Operations Finance & BudgetsInvesting in summer school programs with federal support. -
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May 10, 2022
Taking Full Advantage of American Rescue Plan Funds to Identify and Support Students Experiencing Homelessness and Housing InstabilityType:Webinar Recording Topics: Advocacy & Policy Equity Finance & BudgetsLearn more about how American Rescue Plan funds can be used and hear from school districts who are taking full advantage of them -
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March 30, 2021
AASA Quarterly Federal Policy Update - SpringType:Webinar Recording Topics: Advocacy & PolicyAASA’s Director of Advocacy, Sasha Pudelski, will walk AASA members through the latest funding and policy changes -
March 29, 2022
District Checklist: Taking Full Advantage of American Rescue Plan Funds to Identify & Support Students Experiencing Homelessness & Housing InstabilityTopics: Advocacy & Policy District & School Operations Finance & BudgetsAn actionable checklist designed to help district leaders take full advantage of new and existing federal resources to meet the significant needs – greatly exacerbated by the pandemic – of students experiencing homelessness and housing instability.
Additional Resources
Resources to Support ARP Implementation
Get Involved
Put a call to action here so members can get involved in the cause and become champions of our advocacy issues.
It can be as simple as sharing a social media graphic or as complex as using a templated letter to call or email their state legislators.
Link to the Legislative Action Center here
American Rescue Plan Committee Members
Theresa Battle
Superintendent, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 (Minn.)
Scott S. Brabrand
Executive Director, Virginia Association of School Superintendents
Shari Camhi
Superintendent, Baldwin Union Free School District (N.Y.)
Chad Coauette
Executive Director/CEO, Sourcewell
Michael T. Conner
Superintendent, Middletown Public Schools (Conn.)
Wanda Cook-Robinson
Superintendent, Oakland Schools (Mich.)
Jay Curtis
Superintendent, Park County School District #1 (Wyo.)
Philip Downs
Superintendent, Southwest Allen County Schools (Ind.)
Jeff Fastnacht
Superintendent, Mandan School District 1 (N.D.)
Winfried Feneberg
Superintendent, Kearsarge Regional School District 65 (N.H.)
Daniel Gordon
Principal, EducationCounsel
Andy Grover
Executive Director, Idaho Association of School Administrators
Justin B. Henry
Superintendent, Goddard Unified School District 265 (Kan.)
Gregory Hutchings, Jr.
Superintendent, Alexandria City Pub School District (Va.)
Paul Imhoff
Director, Government Relations, Buckeye Association of School Administrators (Ohio)
Jesus F. Jara
Superintendent, Clark County School District (Nev.)
Dwight Jones
Senior Deputy Superintendent, Denver Public Schools (Colo.)
David Lewis
Executive Director, Association of School Business Officials International
Carissa Miller
Chief Executive Officer, Council of Chief State School Officers
Cathy Q. Moore
Superintendent, Wake County Public School System (N.C.)
Tobin Novasio
Superintendent, Lockwood Schools (Mont.)
Bill Otto
Government Relations Association, Sourcewell
Jeremy Owoh
Deputy Superintendent, Little Rock School District (Ark.)
Debra P. Pace
Superintendent, The School District of Osceola County (Fla.)
Lisa Parady
Executive Director, Alaska Superintendents Association
Kamela K. Patton
Superintendent, Collier County Public Schools (Fla.)
Allen Pratt
Executive Director, National Rural Education Association
Mary Ann Ranells
Former Superintendent, West Ada School District (Idaho)
Michelle C. Reid
Superintendent, Fairfax County Public Schools (Va.)
Robb Reid
Chief Revenue Officer, Sourcewell
William B. Royster, Jr.
Superintendent, Greenville County Schools (S.C.)
Theron J. Schutte
Superintendent, Marshalltown Community School District (Iowa)
Cosimo Tangorra, Jr.
Superintendent, New Hartford Schools (N.Y.)
Brian Troop
Superintendent, Ephrata Area School District (Pa.)
Mark Tucker
Superintendent, Caledonia Central Supervisory Union (Vt.)
Wayne Vickers
Superintendent, Alabaster City Schools (Ala.)
J.J. Villarreal
Superintendent, Rockwall Independent School District (Texas)
Julie A. Vitale
Superintendent, Oceanside Unified School District (Calif.)
Joan Wade
Executive Director, Association of Educational Service Agencies
Ken Wallace
Superintendent, Maine Township High School District 207 (Ill)
Karen Walters
Superintendent, Bryant School District 25 (Ark.)
Rodney E. Watson
Superintendent, Spring Independent School District (Texas)
Calvin J. Watts
Superintendent, Gwinnett County Public Schools (Ga.)
Lisa Witte
Superintendent, Monadnock Regional School District (N.H.)
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